How could they not know how many tourists were on the island? Check plane records of entry for a start. Hotel records are burned up but how can they not know if a hotel was full capacity or not in August? AAAs in some US city booked some of those tourists. Put the pieces together when families file insurance claims and death notices.
They didn’t have the info beforehand, because it was an entirely natural event [koff koff], but before meeting the press (and after even one day of the events) the nitwit should have found out what the best numbers were. He should resign or be removed.